Thai NSC chief to visit ethnic Uyghurs sent back to China

BANGKOK, July 14 (TNA) - National Security Council (NSC) Secretary-General Anusit Kunakorn is scheduled to leave for China on July 15 to inspect the livelihood of 109 ethnic Uyghurs who were sent back to China by the Thai government earlier this week. Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha told journalists of the update, after chairing an NSC meeting in Bangkok on Monday afternoon. Reiterating that Thailand was not pressured by any country and Bangkok has adhered to legal norms and the principle of human rights, the prime minister noted that there are still more than 50 ethnic Uyghurs in Thailand and they have been taken good care. The prime minister stressed that Thailand is not an enemy of any party and the country is responsible for overseeing the ethnic Uyghurs who were deported to both Turkey and China. According to the prime minister, Thailand has taken care of more than 140,000 migrants who fled their home countries, saying that his government has done for the Thai people, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), where Thailand is a member country, and the international community. The sending of 109 Uyghurs to China sparked dissatisfaction among Muslims and a group of protesters intruded into a Thai Consulate in Istanbul to show their opposition to the Thai government’s decision. The NSC chief told reporters that he will not only inspect the livelihood of the 109 Uyghurs, but also request Beijing to help inform the international community that the action was made following meetings between both sides over a year ago. Meanwhile, the Thai Embassy in Ankara, Turkey’s capital, announced that negative sentiment against Thailand on sending Uyghurs to China has persisted, warning Thai nationals in Turkey on its Facebook page to take extra precaution for their safety. (TNA)